Romantic mid-week sojourn on the charming Tuscan seaside, frequented by foreign language guests…no blah blah blah in Porto Ercole. The dreamy coast is sun soaked with beautiful beaches and authentic family restaurants serving meals from recipes handed down over generations. The peninsula that dangles from the southern Tuscan coast is frequented by fashionable Romans and the yachting crowd. Located in a beautiful coastal town in Grosseto, which has a small airport if you fly private, otherwise, it’s a scenic 2-hour drive from Rome.

The idyllic fishing village, Porto Ercole, is in Maremma in southern Tuscany, a region that has remained largely untouched for centuries. Roman and Milanese residents choose Porto Ercole as their holiday destination. Population 3000. The former fishing village offers Amalfi charm, sans crowds.

Late Check Out Requested – Where to stay: the famed Hotel Il Pellicano, the preferred escape of the icons of the golden age of cinema, captured in photos by Slim Aarons. An exclusive selection of suites in either villas or the main building. Sea views from your terrace offer privacy and seclusion, with dramatic hillside views. Many of the 50 rooms at the hotel have balconies or panoramic terraces, and the six suites and studios are in small cottages near the main house.

Lounge on the private seafront terrace beach, accessible by lift, under crisp white parasols with an attentive staff ready to spoil. Sand in your toes not an option? Then savor the views from the cliffside heated saltwater pool. Paddle board, private boat for day touring or schlepp a bag of books. Among your Italian words and phrases, questo è importante: ‘Il dolce far niente” an Italian phrase and life philosophy, it translates as “the sweetness of doing nothing.”

Overlooking the sparkling Sapphire Blue Tyrrhenian Sea, surrounded by iconic cypress trees, the sweet perfume of lemon blossoms, rolling hills of ancient olive trees, the hotel is timeless, yet casually elegant.

Dining: the Michelin-starred Il Pellicano Restaurant, Chef Michelino Gio delivers a satisfying surprise with carefully selected seasonal organic local produce, fresh fish and organic meat. More casual vibe: Il Pelligrill, serving fresh Tuscan favorites. Sip and savor a sunset Pelican Martini.

Hotel car can deliver you to town 10 minutes away to stroll the picturesque streets before dining at La Sirena at the foot of Monte Argentario, where the cuisine is based on fresh local products, fish is the main protagonist. Gelato is the traditional dessert.

Wander and repeat: ‘Il dolce far niente”.

If you are enjoying a Roman Holiday and a Beach Sojourn, you may know that Caravaggio died and is buried in Porto Ercole at the young age of 38, on July 18,1610, most likely of lead poisoning from his paints. Previous posts share our exclusive private visits to the Caravaggio exhibit in Rome.